The Reason
by Mandalyn Soong
Summary: Dumbledore decides to have a school-wide talent show and Severus Snape just so happens to sign up! Huge thanks to my beta Huntress19!


A couple weeks ago, Dumbledore decided to find a way for students to express their talents outside magic. Dumbledore being the muggle loving person he is, decided to put on a talent show. No magic allowed of course. Many students signed up for it, some eager to be able to show off their own special abilities. Others, (*coughcough*Gryffindors*cough*) signed up simply because they were dared to.

Severus Snape signed up for a different reason. He wasn't in it for the talent part, it was more of a way to apologize to Lily about the incident that she never forgave him for. No one would really expect him to do this sort of thing. He was too quiet and socially awkward to do something like this.

It was the night of the show; all the students were gathering at the great hall, which had been transfigured for the night. There was a lot of chatting and preparation for the show, and excitement was thick in the air. Dumbledore looked over the crowd, enjoying the sight. He then got their attention and started the show.

The first student sang an... interesting rendition of the muggle song "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer." As soon as he started singing all the muggleborns started grinning. By the time he finished the purebloods, a few half-bloods, and all of the professors were staring at him in fascinated horror. The muggleborns and the rest of the half-bloods had fallen off their seats laughing. It took nearly ten minutes to restore some semblance of order.

The rest of the talent show continued without too much mishap. Except for when James and Sirius decided to attempt to set the stage alight with their explosive inventions. Talents of all kinds were displayed some danced, others sang, one student did a frankly frightening gymnastics routine, and another did muggle magic (to the teacher's and pureblood's amazement ("That's not taught until 7th year!"), and various other acts. Some were better than other of course, but that's to be expected. Student after student, act after act, the time passed until it was Severus' turn to go.

He walked up to the stage, and for once he actually looked like a civilized human being. His hair wasn't dripping with grease, his skin looked as if it had some color and he wasn't a complete ghost, and he for once looked well rested. The music started.

I'm not a perfect person

There's many thing I wish I didn't do

But I continue learning

I never meant to do those things to you

And so I have to say before I go

That I just want you to know

As he sung he looked around the room and saw shocked faces. No one had ever expected him, out of all people, to be doing this. He looked around until he found Lily, who was utterly shocked. He trained his eyes on her for a couple seconds.

I've found a reason for me

To change who I used to be

A reason to start over new

And the reason is you

And so the chorus had begun, his eyes still locked on Lily. He belted out the words. He wasn't a bad singer at all, in fact he was a rather good singer. His deep baritone voice helped a lot too, making the effect even better. As he sung he saw a flicker of emotion flash over Lily's face. Guilt, maybe sadness, he couldn't tell.

~I'm sorry that I hurt you

It's something I must live with everyday

And all the pain I put you through

I wish I could take it all away

And be the one who catches all your tears

That's why I need you to hear~

He took his eyes off her, and looked around again, some of the muggle-born and half-blood students who knew the song were singing along to it. He inwardly smiled, soaking in this moment. This moment that was his.

~I've found a reason for me

To change who I used to be

A reason to start over new

And the reason is you (x4)~

He looked back at Lily, who this time caught his gaze and kept it. Her eyes were a bit watery, she just wanted to run up and hug him, apologize for being a jerk and ignoring him since the incident, to forgive him for what he had done, which he asked for on multiple occasions. After the song, she would talk to him, and make things right again, be friends again.

~I'm not a perfect person

I never meant to do those things to you

And so I have to say before I go

That I just want you to know~

His voice got soft while he sung the verse. He closed his eyes, hoping his apology worked, he'd give anything to be friends with her again. Just to have one more laugh, one more hug, one more moment of the happiness that had been so foreign to him before meeting her.

~I've found a reason for me

To change who I used to be

A reason to start over new

And the reason is you~

He reopened his eyes, and he tried to find Lily again, but she was gone. Had he made the situation worse? Was she upset at him? Did he embarrass her? He didn't know, and he was going to find out after the last verse which he belted out once more.

~I've found a reason to show

A side of me you didn't know

A reason for all that I do

And the reason is you~

Once the song came to a close, applause erupted, he bowed once or twice then walked off the stage. He slowly made his way out of the crowd of students and into the hallway where he felt arms wrap around him.

Lily walked out of the great hall during the second to last verse, she waited on him to finish the song. She wiped her eyes which got a bit misty, and she waited for a couple more seconds before seeing him and hugging him tightly.

Severus was initially shocked at first before he realized that it was Lily, and then he hugged back. They held the position for a good minute or two before Lily apologized for not listening to his apologies before. He couldn't help but smile.

From this moment on, they were best friends again, later becoming more than that. Lily was happy that she had her best friend back, and Severus was happy that he had his Lily back, his only true love.


End file.
